Barnacle Bob, who had been snoozing, snapped to attention. “Ki-wi, ki-wi, ki-wi. Where in tarnation is my damn ki-wi!”
Iris was shirking her duties if BB had been three days without his favorite kiwi.
“Calm down, BB. I’ll go ask Iris if she has any kiwi.”
“Battle-ax Iris. Battle-ax Iris.”
“Don’t let Aunt Amelia hear you say that.”
He turned around in his cage and did his version of dropping his pants by bending forward and raising his tail feathers.
“You’re a dirty bird, Barnacle Bob.”
As she walked out of the pantry with her tray of supplies, she noticed the parrot didn’t repeat her words.
She set the tray down on the center island of the kitchen and went into the dining room to ask Iris if she’d fed Barnacle Bob. Iris wasn’t there and the tables were only partially set.
Where was she always disappearing to?
Chapter 29
At six thirty, everyone in the dining room had a meal set in front of them. After Iris had served the dinner, Aunt Amelia had sent the housekeeper into the kitchen to clean up. Liz stood in the open doorway between the kitchen and dining room, surveying the tables, searching for reactions to the food. Pierre’s dishes were usually flawless. Liz knew her meal wasn’t flawless; she just hoped it was passable. She caught Ryan’s eye. He lifted his wineglass in the air as a symbol of appreciation, then continued to work on what Liz had deemed Lobster Bisque Potpie.
David Worth and Ryan shared a table. Liz would have loved to join them, but she chose to sit with her father, letting Ryan have the chance to learn what he could from David. David seemed in pretty good shape for what he’d gone through—a little pale, but he was talking animatedly to Ryan, even gesturing with his hands. How could he not feel strange, sitting directly below where he’d just been stabbed and where his wife had been choked to death? Before dinner, Liz had handed Betty the copies of the canceled rent checks from the emporium. Liz hoped they found a match between the note and the handwriting, so that at least one mystery could be solved.
Aunt Amelia, Betty, Pierre, and Captain Netherton sat together at a different table. The storm outside was still raging, and the sky was as dark as midnight. There were lit tapers on all three tables, giving the grand old room a shadowy vibe. Liz was thankful for Captain Netherton. He was spinning one of his tall tales about a Coast Guard rescue he’d been a part of during one of Florida’s worst hurricanes.
Everyone seemed happy. “Well? How is it?” she asked her father.
Earlier, he’d walked into the kitchen when Liz was in warrior-chef mode. She’d explained about the incident with Pierre and the lobsters. They’d both agreed that Pierre needed to see a doctor, no matter how “right as rain” Aunt Amelia thought he was.
Her father touched a napkin to his bottom lip and said, “It’s delicious, hearty, filling, yet at the same time delicate. And the lobster is perfect.”
“Well, thank you, kind sir. How did your day go?”
“Better than expected. A good day in court.”
“That’s great. When you have a few minutes, I have a lot to talk to you about, mostly things relating to Regina Harrington-Worth’s death.”
“Elizabeth, I hope you’re being careful?”
“Of course. I have Betty, Kate, and Ryan all watching my back.”
Liz heard her father’s cell phone buzz. He held up his finger and said, “Hold that thought,” then answered the call.
Liz got up, walked to the sideboard, picked up a pitcher of lemon-flavored water and took it over to David and Ryan’s table. “Water, gentlemen?”
“I would love some,” David said. “It’s time for my next pill.” He put his hand in his left pocket, then his right, and came up empty. He said, “Damn. I must have left my medication upstairs. I’ll be right back.” He put both hands on the table to push himself up, grimacing in pain.
Ryan said, “Mr. Worth.”
“David.”
“David, please sit down. I’ll run up and get them. It’s no problem.”
“Thank you. Here’s my room key. But don’t you want to finish your dinner while it’s hot?” He looked at Ryan’s plate and laughed. “Looks like that isn’t a problem. Did you inhale it?”
Ryan stood. “Just about. One of the best meals I’ve ever had.”
“It is pretty tasty,” David agreed, then he took a long swig of his wine.
After Ryan left, Liz asked David, “Can I get you anything else?”
“I’ll be fine as soon as the meds hit.” He looked up at Liz’s face, his gaze lingering on her scar before he looked away.
Maybe he was thinking about his own wound? “Okay, well, let me or Iris know if you need anything else.” She started to walk away, then turned back. “Mr. Worth, you don’t know where Venus’s collar is, do you?”
“No. I’m sorry. I haven’t seen it. Did you ask Amelia? She still has Venus with her. I can’t bear to look at the cat. She was Regina’s child—she never had any of her own.”
Liz touched his hand. “I am so sorry for your loss. Don’t worry about Venus. Aunt Amelia is the Dr. Doolittle of the Indialantic. She will take care of Mrs. Worth’s pet like Venus was her own.”
“Thank you. You’ve all been so kind. I only plan on staying for a few more days, just until they release Regina’s”—he took another gulp of wine. Liz had left a full bottle on the table and it was empty—“body for the memorial.”
“Well, if we can help with any arrangements, please let us know.”
“I will,” he said. He looked out at the dark window leading to the courtyard and Liz walked away. She thought about opening
